--- This is what we asked the Dreamers // Doers community ahead of our Y Combinator interview.

--- This is what you said:

"It's a place that's truly authentic. It's about co-creating and lifting each other up versus the old model of competing."

"A HUGE part of why I love D//D so much is because it truly seems like it's for the women, community first. I love the candidness of the posts and responses, and the openness and randomness of it all. Minimal awkwardness and politics, maximum community and support. It's clear that everyone cares about helping each other, not just about helping themselves."

"D&D provides an opportunity for me to be more me. I've also found a renewed spark for what I'm doing and a renewed sense of joy for what I'm doing."

"I've started other businesses before and it felt incredibly isolating and there was a lot of pressure. I always quit and went back to a day job. This time though having D&D has made a difference. I feel like I have a community and lots of support. I think if I'd had a support system before, I wouldn't have quit my entrepreneurial endeavors."

"The network of women gave me the confidence that I could start a business. Without role models with whom I could identify, I don't think I would have had the courage (or possibly the realization that it was actually possible) to take the leap."

"None of the girlfriends I grew up with are starting companies, and this was the first time that I found true peers willing to listen - and provide advice from a woman's point of view."

"Seeing other women who have already done things makes it seem real and attainable. That makes it easy to bypass self-doubt because you might feel like no one else is trying to do what you are doing."

"The most valuable part of being involved with DD is having access to a community of highly engaged women who are rooting for each other to be successful. DD is different than other groups in its level of enthusiasm and activity. It has truly developed a culture for allowing women to enable the success of other women."

"The major benefit is that Ineed not GO ANYWHERE to experience the rewards of D&D given its online nature. Other offerings seem so much to rely on in-person get-togethers which are extremely difficult for me primarily because I have a son and when he's not with the nanny I am 100% devoted to making his life wonderful and incredible. And if an event does not guarantee something special (and most cannot) I do not bother going."

"SO valuable to see other women doing various projects, you get to see the steps they are making. Helps break it down in your mind and makes it real and attainable. When someone asks for help for an event or a client you get to look under the hood."

"Being part of a majority: having a safe space to discuss issues related to the full spectrum of what it means to be a woman in business. I've found that women are surprisingly unwilling to use their voices in public forums and social media. This for me reinforces even more how powerful D//D is, because women are not having important discussions in other places online."

"It has improved my productivity and since joining I've had that extra boost to hit a number of key milestones. As a bootstrapper, it's also easy to get sidetracked since there's no investors breathing down your neck for milestones.Somehow with this group I get a sense of accountability to push forward "succeed for the group", even if no one is really keeping tabs on me like that. It's sort of like "earning my keep" I suppose."

"I love the interaction with younger women and older women. I can't tell you how much I love this aspect of D&D. I have learned so much from that. I have loved working with women 10+ years younger than me and seeing posts from older women in the group."

"Having an accountability group that's unbiased and not hyper-connected to my day to day. Sometimes I feel more comfortable sharing personal life eventsand struggles with everyone because they are outside my immediate network."

"I know that what I've done in 4-6 months with D//D would have taken twice as long to accomplish on my own - either because I don't know who to ask, or an intro might take months. D/D kind of pre-vets everything and you find out quickly if you're aligned."

"It is a circle of like-minded friends: as much as I love my own friends, they can't really relate to what I'm going through as an entrepreneur."

"I on-boarded one of my bigger clients through DD - they reached out to me after finding my profile in the DD directory."

"I've been able to make connections with new clients, VCs, and other amazing founders who are working just as hard towards building their vision."

"The group is uninhibited. I do not see this anywhere else in a digital format."

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." - Walt Disney

Happy Thanksgiving!

Real challenges, real solutions. The goal of this monthly newsletter is to cut through the B.S. and open up the conversation to honest experiences and relevant advice, no matter how unpretty.

This month's challenge? How to deal with your "imaginary social life" when your dreams need 24 hours of your day. From established leaders to the doers among us, here are our low points, personal solutions, anxieties and ultimate goals:

// WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? //

"Being your own boss has its benefits but there’s also nothing that stands between you and an endless stream of work that, often, you love. But [as] entrepreneurs [we] must also take care of ourselves." - Cali Williams Yost, CEO of Flex+Strategy // @CaliYost

// WHAT'S IT LIKE? //

“One night [I] was like, ‘Oh, my God, it’s midnight and I have a husband and I’m, like, eight months pregnant. I need to leave!’ I was just here working, having the best possible time. [My husband] was like, ‘Where were you last night?’” - Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo // @marissamayer

"I feel like I'm loosing a lot of friends because I've stopped hanging out with them. And it's not because I don't want to see them...it's because I cut my social life to the minimum to spend time building my startup." - Hanh Nguyen, Founder of Stuff N Style // @fashiongiik

// WHAT TO DO? //

"I'm thankful for my friends - and that lessens the burn of feeling like I'm a bad entrepreneur when I don't get as much done as I might have without the social engagements." - Dani Fankhauser, Branded Content Editor at Bustle// @DaniFankhauser

"When I feel under the crunch, I used to forfeit the social stuff...but recently been Learning that doing that actually hinders my productivity. Getting out, unwinding and catching up with friends & family in fact is the ultimate reset." - Annabel Acton, Founder of Never Liked It Anyway // @pseudologosbell

// WHAT HELPS? //

We asked the doers among us for their favorite time-saving tools, groups, apps, services, and resources to help them stay in the social loop. Got a tip? Share it here!

Taptalk can help you keep in touch with friends and family even when you're at the office 'til 3am. Their instant video and picture messaging will make you feel like you're surrounded by your very best friends, no matter where you are. Check them out in the App Store or Google Play.

The pros at Host Committee* can handle your social events. Their legendary parties will give you some much needed bonding time with your friends - and you won't have to plan a thing. Follow them on Twitter for the latest updates on their NYC events.

Never feel guilty about postponing again. Feel free to take a rain check whenever you need to, just use Postpone to keep track of your changing schedule. Postpone will help you feel in control of your demanding day-to-day by prioritizing your tasks for you.

Join us for co-working time, discussion of current challenges and passion projects, and yummy food! Brunch will be $25, with portion of proceeds going to Kiva. The location will be revealed soon. RSVP here for more details.